Sport

Tiddler tips it towards Ballykisteen as roof and plenty of cash are raised on the Algarve

JOHN O’SULLIVAN on how a two-and-a-half foot putt helped the Tipperary club claim the title in Portugal

Wed Oct 26 2011 - 01:00

JOHN O'SULLIVANon how a two-and-a-half foot putt helped the Tipperary club claim the title in Portugal

SPORTING THEATRE is not the preserve of the professional elite, affording the humble practitioner the opportunity to commandeer centre stage. Anyone who plays sport, irrespective of level, occasionally thinks about the spotlight and what it would be like to be responsible for determining the outcome.

Damien Cullen would empathise with the analogy. He stood on the home green at Pinta Golf Club in Portugal with a two-and-a half foot putt that would in all probability confirm victory for Ballykisteen Golf Club from Tipperary in the 2011 Musgrave Crumlin Hospital Club Challenge All Ireland final.

Connacht champions Roscommon, and Ulster champions, Nuremore had already finished, the latter setting the benchmark in terms of the points (147) for the two-day tournament in the Algarve. Also playing the 603-yard, par five, 18th hole at that point, were the day-one leaders and Leinster champions, Elm Green, but word had filtered through though that they were struggling in the Rumble format.

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Cullen surveyed his putt carefully. It wasn’t straight but he didn’t have to give the hole away and normally, if not quite a mere bagatelle, it would have been dispatched with minimal fuss on any of the previous 35 holes.

His face betrayed the importance of the impending stroke. Most people relish the idea of applying the coup de grace but faced with the reality of the situation quickly appreciate that pressure exacts a toll, mentally and physically. He kept his nerve to roll in the putt and was quickly swamped by his team-mates Joe McDonald and James Keane.

The Elm Green triumvirate of Graham Temple, Denis Murphy and Brian Smith finished 12 shots adrift of the Munster champions over the Pinta course, slipping from first place to fourth.

The Dublin club had led after the first day over the Palmares layout – a single stableford format with two scores to count at every hole from the three-man teams – finishing eight clear of Ballykisteen and Nuremore and 12 ahead of Roscommon.

In some respects it was the Leinster champions’ crown to lose but the Rumble format – one score to count on the first six holes, two scores on the next six and all three on the last six holes – ensured there were plenty of points available: in effect the teams would be playing 36 holes within the final round.

Roscommon managed 85 points over the undulating Pinta layout, a score spearheaded by the four handicap, Tom Grehan, who produced a superb level-par score on the day. Frank Grehan and James Kenny provided able support as they posted a decent target of 144 points.

Nuremore were second out and the Kiernans – Martin, John and James – collaborated to produce 84 points for a 147 total and along with the Roscommon boys awaited the arrival of Ballykisteen to the 18th green. Everybody knew the ramifications of Cullen’s putt and the sportsmanship that had been evident throughout the event was illustrated in the warm reception they received.

The club’s 85 points at Pinta allowed them to nudge one point in front of Nuremore, something Elm Green (72) were unable to alter. It was Ballykisteen’s first All Ireland pennant.

All funds raised from this competition go directly to Our Lady’s Children’s Hospital, Crumlin thanks to the generous support from the Musgrave Group. Now in its 13th year the competition has raised over €1.3 million for St Anne’s Ward (dedicated burns unit) which was built by the company.

Clubs can get involved in the 2012 Musgrave Crumlin Children’s Hospital Club Challenge in two ways by including the three-person “Rumble for Crumlin” competition day in their club’s diary. Teams can include all male teams, all women’s teams or mixed teams. The other method is to run a singles tournament charging an extra €10 per person and the winner, runner-up and gross winner representing the club at the provincial final.

Clubs interested in organising an event can contact the tournament director Pat Cashman at 087 2424451 or by e-mail at litia@eircom.net. Next year’s provincial finals take place at Grange GC (Leinster, Aug 30th), Nenagh GC (Munster, Sep 3rd), Bearna GC (Connacht, Sep 6th) and Concra Wood GC (Ulster, Sep 13th).